My CS Pets Story Thread!

[G.L'S]

It was originally an idea I had on the CS pet pairs thread. I hope it's liked

Forbidden Relations

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 1

"But Daddy! I don't wanna go!" Synesthesia wailed as they walked towards the schoolgrounds.

"Why don't you want to go? Your two sisters go to school and they enjoy it," her father said reassuringly. Schizophrenia was further back with his youngest daughter while his wife was further up with the older two.

"It's because I have no friends. Schizophrenika and Clairvoyance don't wanna play with me all the time. I just get in the way and all they wanna do is talk about boys, yuck!" she said thoroughly disgusted. "Can't I stay at home with Dissonance? Please?"

Schizophrenia chuckled at his daughter but shook his head. "Dissonance isn't old enough to go to school yet but you are. Don't worry, you'll make lots of friends. I'll make you a deal, if you make a friend by the end of today, you can bring them back for a playdate. If not, you and I will go out for ice cream, just you and me, deal?" he said when they reached the grounds.

Synesthesia's smile widened and she hugged her father tight. "Deal! Thanks Daddy!"

Schizophrenia hugged his daughter and let her go off to catch up with her sisters. "You're welcome! Have a good day!" he called and left with his wife.

Synesthesia tried at first to play with her sisters but they pushed her away after a while, leaving her sitting alone on the blacktop with a daisy in hand. She was picking the petals off, saying, "He loves me, he loves me not..." when a boy arrived to school all alone with his backpack in his mouth. It wasn't long before a few older boys yanked his backpack away from him and ran off with it. The boy sighed tiredly and ran after the gang calling, "Hey! Give it back!"

Synesthesia felt so angered by this, she dropped her flower and chased after the boys being mean to that pup. She found them teasing him by holding is backpack above his head while he jumped to try and get it. "Hey you big meanies! You leave him alone!" she said and stomped up and stareed down the ringleader.

The one she was looking at stopped and dropped the backpack in a moment of shock before fixing the smirk back on his face. "Aw why do you care so much? He your boyfriend?" he taunted and stepped towards her. "Cuz if he is, then he better save his damsel."

Synesthesia gulped and tried to move away from the approaching brutes but found herself trapped oin the school's wall. She was ready to scream for help when the leader howled out in pain and stopped moving.

"You let her go!" a smaller voice said from clenched teeth. Synesthesia smiled as she saw the boy clamped down on the brute's tail. He let go eventually when they stalked away, tail between their legs.

Synesthesia blushed and walked towards the timid pup as he scooped his backpack up. "Thank you for saving me."

The boy blushed behind his leather rucksack. "It was nothing, I just thing that's no way for a brute to treat a lady."

Synesthesia giggled and held out her paw. "My name's Synesthesia but you can call me Syn if you want. Do you wanna be my friend?"

The boy blushed a deeper red as he dropped his knapsack and shook her paw. "My name's Rescendo and you cann call me Re. I'd love to be your friend.

~*~

It turned out Rescendo and Synesthesia were in the same Kintergarten class so they sat and played together all day. When the school bell rang to let them go for the day, Syn asked Re if he wanted to come over for a playdate. He agreed and walked outside to meet her father. Sure enough, Schizophrenia was out there with Schizophrenika and Clairvoyance waiting for Synesthesia and her friend to come so they could go. He smiled when he saw his daughter made a friend but immediately frowned when he saw who it was.

Synesthesia was so proud to have made a friend, she ran ahead to tell her father. "Daddy! Daddy! You were right! I did make a-"

"Synesthesia, that's enough. Come now, we're leaving," he said and corraled her out with his other daughters.

"But...but...what about Rescendo?" she asked looking back sadly at her friend.

"He won't be coming with us. Come on now, we have to get home," she heard her father say and followed behind him sadly, looking back at the lone pup standing there with his tattered rucksack.

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 2

When Synesthesia was home, her father pulled her aside. He strictly forbade her to associate with that boy, saying he was bad news and no good could come out of being his friend. Synesthesia nodded sadly to her father and trapsed upstairs to her room to mope.

She tried her best to follow her father's orders, even if she didn't agree with them. Everyday, she'd come to school with her sisters and see Rescendo standing there wagging his tail when he saw her. Everyday he did this, and everyday she had to turn away and pretend she didn't see him.

It was easier in class. She told Rescendo what happened after a while about her father and how she couldn't play with him outside or afterschool. Rescendo nodded and returned to his colouring book. "That's what most parents say."

"What do you mean?" Synesthesia asked.

"Well its because I live on the wrong side of town. Alot of people think I'm gonna grow up and be a bad guy like everyone who lives near me but I don't want to. I wanna go to school and be a teacher. I don't wanna live the bad life."

Synesthesia nodded and stood up defiantly. "You know what? I'm not gonna listen! You're my best friend Re and I'm not gonna let my dad say who I can be friends with!"

Rescendo smiled happily and hugged Synesthesia with all his might, "You're the best Syn!"

~*~

Synesthesia and Rescendo grew sneakier after that. They knew not to associate before or afterschool when her parents were around or to go play in a secluded area at recess where Synesthesia's sisters wouldn't bother them. When no one could criticize them, they did everything together. They sat beside each other in class and did projects together. Even during the summer holidays, Synesthesia was able to sneak off and play with Rescendo occasionally.

This secret friendship lasted long into their late childhood, occasionally being disrupted when her father discovered her and grounded her for a week or so each time. But each day she couldn't come out to play, Synesthesia sat at her window and waved to Rescendo when he'd come by the fence. He'd always leave a note under a rock beneath the fence boards and continue on his way like he was just passing by and everytime, he'd find a note waiting for him there. They continued this tradition as it evolved from pictures, to printed words, to full-out letters as they aged.

One foggy morning in her grade seven year, Synesthesia was getting over a bad cold. She tried to convince her parents she was alright enought to go to school but her father shook his head. "Syn, you need your rest. I'm sure you're not going to learn anything too important that you can't catch up on. If you're that worried, I'll make sure Dissonance picks up your homework."

"Okay," she said hoarsely between coughs. As soon as he father left the house to go to work, Synesthesia looked out the window to see if Rescendo had passed by yet to get to school. She saw him waiting outside with the note as he looked up at her curiously. She shook her head weakly and blew her nose into a tissue. She couldn't see him very well but she saw him slip the note under the rock and mouth "Get well soon" before running off towards the school.

When the coast was clear, she ran out of her bed and down out towards the rock in her backyard. She lifted it up to see a small piece of paper folded up with the prettiest handwriting she had ever seen with the most beautiful message she had ever seen:

I love you

Synesthesia bit her lip to contain her happiness and ran inside to write a new note. When she did so, she placed it under the rock with loving care saying,

I love you too

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 3

Their love flourished after those notes were wrote. Rescendo returned at the end of the school day to see Synesthesia at her window looking at him expectantly. He peered under the rock with a red blush and unfolded the note. For what Synesthesia could see, his eyebrows shot up and he looked up at her with a wide smile. He blew a kiss to her window and skipped off back home.

Even though their relationship grew stronger, it still had to be kept a secret. Luckily a few months later in her grade eight year, Synesthesia's sisters had already moved onto highschool, and for Schizophrenika, the oldest, to university. They could be more open at school now with only Dissonance to worry about, but one day he caught them.

It was the end of the day and Dissonance was heading out to meet his sister to walk home together. Dissonance was only in fifth grade and couldn't go home on his own yet. He decided on the way out to meet Synesthesia at her classroom instead of outside and walked over to see her and an unfamiliar looking boy hugging tight. His jaw dropped when the boy kissed his sister on the cheek and went outside. "Syn! What's going on?!" Dissonance said in disbelief.

Synesthesia turned to see her brother staring at her bewildered at her. She sat him down and explained everything to him, that he was her boyfriend but Dad would never approve. When he knew all the details about he relation with Rescendo, she made him promise he wouldn't breathe a word to anyone. Dissonance nodded and hugged his sister tight in a mix of happiness for her and fear of the strange looking boy.

After that, Synesthesia and Rescendo could be open about their relationship. They graduated gradeschool together and even stuck together into their first year of highschool. They had to hide their relationship since Clairvoyance, the middle sister, was in grade twelve that year and would tattle on Synesthesia to her dad any chance she'd get. They were able to hide their relationship until November when Clairvoyance caught Rescendo stealing a kiss from Synesthsia before homeroom class. Synesthesia looked over to see her sister smirking at her before going on her way. She knew she was dead.

~*~

That evening, he father was livid with her. Schozophrenia knew he couldn't ban his daughter from seeing him even if he wasn't good for her. He sat and shook his head sadly. "Fine, but if he hurts you, don't come crying to me," he said and stormed out of the living room. Needless to say Synesthesia was grounded for a good long time after that.

After that incident, she noticed Rescendo had started to change. His wardrobe was different and he hung out with different guys, meaner guys. He didn't talk to her as much anymore and when he did, there wsas an edge to his voice. Synesthesia was worried about Rescendo but nothing she did seemed to bring the old Rescendo back. She tried to keep in contact with him but after a while, he wasn't at school anymore. She grew worried and tried looking for him. She asked his old friends but they hadn't seen him either. His new friends weren't around either so there was no one to turn to.

One day, Synesthesia found Rescendo's and her old math teacher before he disappeared. It was Mr. Malone. "Sir? Do you know what's happened to Rescendo? I haven't seen him in weeks."

The older teacher turned and looked at Synesthesia with sage eyes. "I'm sorry Synesthesia but I'm afraid Rescendo's dropped out."

Synesthesia's eyes widened. "But how? He wanted to be a teacher!"

Mr. Malone shook his head sadly. "Street life got to him first. It was only a matter of time," he said and walked away, leaving Synesthesia there alone and heartbroken.

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 4

Synesthesia ran the whole way home in tears after talking with Mr. Malone. She burst out the door and bolted towards home in the pummeling rain, not even caring if she was wet or not. Everything she cared about was gone. The street life took it away from her. As she ran, her mind kept replaying Rescendo's small voice those many years ago over and over in her head.

I don't wanna live the bad life...

She stopped running when she reached a willow tree on the way home. Panting and sobbing, she curled up against its trunk to forget everything. Her father was right all along. He knew he'd just break her heart like he said he would. She hadn't heard from him in weeks. No notes, no hellos, not even his face to see in the hallways...

Synesthesia bit her lip as she began to shiver. Would it have been better if he just dumped her and dropped out like he planned or was this his way of going easy on her? Like he could just slip out of her life after all this time.

"Syn? Are you alright?" A familiar voice said and Synesthesia looked up to see her eldest sister Schizophrenika looking down at her worriedly. "Syn, what happened?" she asked, seeing her little sister curled up there, drenched and shaking from the cold.

Synesthesia burst into tears and told her sister everything, babbling and shivering throughout her story. When Synesthesia was done and made sure her sister was sworn to secrecy, Schizophrenika helped her up and reassured her that everything was going to be alright. She put her raincoat over her sister and lead her back home.

~*~

Synesthesia caught pneumonia from sitting out in the rain for so long and was restrained to the confines of her house until she felt better. For majority of it, she stayed in her room. She didn't want to eat or do anything, she just sat at her window all day long. Schizophrenia sighed as he watched his daughter worriedly through the doorway. He shook his head and went downstairs to his wife in the kitchen with Dissonance. "I don't know what else to do love, she won't come down."

"Not even for cream of mushroom soup? It's her favourite," Synesthesia's mother replied disappointed.

Schizophrenia shook his head. "She won't eat anything. She just sits up there and looks out that window."

Dissonance looked up from his social studies project at his father and put his colouring pencil behind his ear. "Dad, I think Syn's more than just pneumonia sick."

Schizophrenia looked at his son quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Dissonance bit his lip and looked at his paws. "Well Synesthesia made me promise I wouldn't tell you but I think you gotta know before she gets sicker. Synesthesia was dating a boy back in grade eight and she made me swear I wouldn't tell you."

Schizophrenia furrowed his eyebrows in a confused manner. "But that was a while ago- oh," he said as it dawned on him. He clenched his teeth and turned to go talk to Synesthesia when he saw her at the base of the stairs.

Synesthesia heard everything. She gasped at her father's expression but was far too angry at her brother. "You said you wouldn't tell! I thought I could trust you!"

"Evidently I can't trust you!" Schizophrenia roared at his daughter. "Don't you see? This is why I didn't want you hanging around with his kind! They just end up hurting you!" he said exasperatedly to her but she was shaking her head and grabbing her coat. "Where are you going? You're still sick!"

"I have to find him Dad, something isn't right here," she said as she buttoned up her rain jacket and turned towards the door. She went to leave but saw her father had already gone over and stood in the doorway.

"I will not let you go after him," Schizophrenia said, standing his ground.

Synesthesia snapped at him angrily, very volatile. "You can't stop me."

Her father stepped aside and opened the door. "Fine, go run after your little crush but don't come back here if he pushes you away again."

At this point, his wife saw it was getting out of hand. Banishing a fifteen year old youngster was too harsh. "Love, isn't that-"

"Silence!" he snapped at her and his wife backed off meekly.

Synesthesia saw where this was going. "Fine. I don't care anymore," she said and marched out the door into the rain.

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 5

Synesthesia walked out of her neighbourhood through the sheets of rain. She coughed occasionally and bundled her sweater tighter beneath her coat. It was getting colder out as the night began to set in. When Syn reached the main road, she searched her pockets for any loose change. She found enough for one bus ride with a transfer and she waited at the stop closeby.

After about ten minutes of her shivering in the rain, the bus finally pulled up and let her on. She rode it down towards where Rescendo said he lived. She went down there on occassion but before Rescendo manifested into his own kind, he didn't like the idea of her being down there. It's too rough for a lady, he used to say. At the thought, Synesthesia curled up in her seat and madly brushed away the stray tears.

After about half an hour, the bus stopped at the end of the line at the industrial end of town. Synesthesia got off and stoof there as the bus pulled out to return. How could she have been so stupid? She didn't know where he was or where to find him for that matter. All she knew was he lived down here, and even that could've been a lie.

Synesthesia began to walk towards the run-down residental sector in the area when she heard the sounds of a group and laughter. She relaxed a bit and turned to see the happy crowd. Much to her surprise though, it wasn't a happy crowd, but an intoxicated one. It was a group of three brutes and it looked like thay all had too much to drink that night; one could barely walk straight. As they came closer, there was something familiar about them but Synesthesia couldn't put her paw on it. In the darkening light, she caught a glimpse of the middle one's smirk. It was those boys back when she was a kid. Synesthesia gulped in response. They weren't kids anymore. They were grown-up brutes, and they were scarier.

Afraid of being seen, Synesthesia dashed into a nearby alleyway and hid behind a garbage can as they passed by. She waited until the laughter died down before taking a look to see if the coast was clear. When it was, she peered out around the street to see they were gone.

But then, she felt a tap on the shoulder.

Synesthesia yelped in fear and surprise only to see the accused poker to be a teenaged boy no older than herself. It was Rescendo. Immediately she smiled and hugged him tight. "Oh Re! I never thought I'd see you again!" she said as her heart beat triple time in his presence. She sighed happily but opened her eyes when she felt him pushing her away from him. "What's going on? Why are you-"

"Syn, you've gotta go. You can't stay around here," Rescendo said coldly.

"What do you mean?" Synesthesia asked, rather hurt.

"You don't belong here Syn. This is where we live the street life. Go back to your family, at least they'll want you."

That last bit felt like a stab. It was true. He didn't love her like he said he did. She bit her lip trying to hide the hurt and heartbreak but apparently, it was still too obvious in her expression. Rescendo looked down at his paws in shame. "I didn't mean that Syn-"

She didn't wait for him to finish though. Immediately she turned and ran away, too hurt and betrayed to care what his answer was. "Wait!" He called after her but she didn't care. Anything was better than this.

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 6

Synesthesia ran for ages before she stopped to catch her breath. When she was okay enough to walk more, she looked up to see herself in an unfamiliar place. She hadn't been watching where she was going and now, she was completely lost. Syn looked around to see herself surrouded by factories and processing plants humming with activity even in the twilight hours of the day. She heard the machines whir and semi trucks pull in and out picking up and dropping off loads for the plants to keep going. One truck driver drove by Synesthesia and looked down at her with a suggestive wink as she passed, scaring her to no end. Not knowing what else to do, she sat down on the curb and tried to compose herself again.

Inside, Synesthesia was a mess. She was scared about where she was, relieved that Rescendo was alright but also hurt and betrayed over him as well. She held her face in per paws and stifled back the tears. There was no way she was going to cry over him again. Not anymore...even if he was her friend. Her best friend. The love of her life...

Synesthesia shook her head. No. She couldn't think that way, he hurt her and that was that. He was cold to her, took her for granted and then just left without even a goodbye. There was no way she could let herself go to pieces over him...even if she already had.

Synesthesia sat there torn and debating what to do now when she heard te sound of an old small car driving up the road. She looked up at see it was her family's car with her mother at the wheel. Synesthesia blinked in surprise and stood up when her mother pulled over and got out of the car. "Oh Syn! I've been looking everywhere! I was so worried about you!" she said and hugged her tight.

"Thanks Mom but don't worry, I'm okay."

"Did you find him?" she asked to see her daughters answer as a small nod followed by her burying her face in her shoulder and sobbing. "There, there love. It's ok. Don't worry, it'll heal with time."

"No it won't Mom. I've been friends with him since day 1. How can I get over that kind of hurt?"

Her mother sighed a bit and brought her back to the car. They sat in the front seat and Synesthesia told her everything, from kindergarten right through until today. Her mother stayed silent throughout the whole story and nodded in understanding. After all was said she turned and held her daughter's hand. "I see. It's not the end of the world though Syn, he could turn around. Your father did."

Synesthesia's eyes widened and she looked at her mother incredulously. "Dad? What happened to Dad?"

Her mother smiled a bit with a nostalgic look and took a trip down memory lane. "Back when your father and I were in school, he was quite popular despite his background. He was the jock who lived somewhere nobody knew and I was the art student who came from a working class family. We were on two separate realms."

"What brought you together though?"

"Well, it all started in grade nine gym class. Of course, he was the focus of everything in there. He could play any sport with ease and all the girls fanned over him for it. All except for the few of us who kept our level heads in highschool," she said with a wink, "we were playing dodgeball and naturally, he was team captain for one side. He picked me closer to the end and we played throughout the game. Us two were the last ones there when the other team started playing dirty, throwing the ball at my face. He caught it and threw it back so hard, it pelted the one kid right off his feet. He stood in front of me and stared the other team down. 'That's not how you treat a lady,' he said to them."

Synesthesia couldn't help but smile at that last bit. "Rescendo said that when we were kids. A group of boys who were picking on him went to pick on me and he bit the one kid, saying those same words."

Her mother smiled and tousled Synesthesia's hair a bit. "He sounds like he has a good soul, Syn. Maybe you shouldn't give up on him so easily. I bet he'll come round again."

Synesthesia hugged her mom close and smiled. "Thanks Mom."

Her mother hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. "No problem sweetie. Now let's get you home," she said and turned on the car's ignition.

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 7

Synesthesia and her mother returned home that night to a nearly empty house. Clairvoyance was over at a sleepover and Schizophrenia was out, leaving Schizophrenika to babysit Dissonance. When they came in the door, Dissonance burst into tears and immediately ran over to his sister and hugged her tight. "I'm sorry Synesthesia! I was only trying to help! Mom and Dad were worried about you."

She hugged back her little brother and wiped away the tears. "It's ok Dissonance. I know you were trying to help. I'm sorry I was so angry before," she said and stifled a cough.

Schizophrenika shot a worried look over at her mother as Synesthesia and Dissonance talked. "Mom, Dad's gone out but he wouldn't say where. I'm worried something's going to happen."

Her mother squeezed Schizophrenika's arm reassuringly. "I'm sure it's going to be alright. Had he calmed down at all after I left?"

Schizophrenika shook her head. "No. In fact, he was angrier but I think moreso at himself because of the way he acted."

Her mother bit her lip and looked out towards the street. "I hope he's alright."

***

"So tha name a da street ya wanted, this it here? Cuz if it is, man this-s a rough area," The cab diver slurred in a heavy accent to Schizophrenia as he sat in the back seat.

"Yes, this is it. Thank you," he said and slipped a couple of bills up to the driver before getting out in front of a convenience store in the middle of the same run-down residential area Synesthesia was in not long before.

After the cab drove away, Schizophrenia sniffed a bit and looked at the houses. They weren't any different from when he lived here about thirty years ago with his mother. He thought much about her as he looked around. The poor woman, she worked night and day to keep food on the table and clothes on his back. Watching her, he respected her and knew women should be treated with respect, unlike the views of his father who left them with no support to galavant off with some younger woman. Seeing that and knowing that happened a lot here further solidified his opinions about that boy.

Just on cue, Rescendo rounded the corner out of an alleyway and stopped to see Schizophrenia glaring at him there. He turned to run away but Schizophrenia had already caught up to him and pinned him against the wall. "Look I already know what you're about and you're not going to drag my daughter down with you!" he snapped at the teenager.

Rescendo covered his face with his paws to protect himself. "Look, I don't know what she told you but I didn't do anything!"

"You're right, you didn't do anything."

Rescendo paused and looked up at him confused. "I don't understand."

"You became her friend, her confidant, and later, her lover am I right?" Schizophrenia drilled as he held Rescendo against the wall. Rescendo nodded but still looked at him quizically. "Then after all the trust and love she's given you, you do nothing with it. You throw it away like its nothing to you-"

"Now hold on right there!" Rescendo retorted, "You don't think I love her too?"

"How can you love her if you pay her no mind?" Schizophrenia yelled angrily.

"Because I don't want to hurt her! I don't want to burden her with my lifestyle of scrounging everyday or resorting to crime to make ends meet! I don't want to crush her spirit like that!" Rescendo responded, heeling a bit embarassed having exposed his feelings like that.

"I'm afraid you already have," Schizophrenia said and walked away, leaving Rescendo there alone again.

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 8

Synesthesia helped her mother put Dissonance to bed not long after they arrived home. It was a challenge because the day's events kept her brother awake with worry. Luckily it was a Friday night so it wasn't too big of a deal that Dissonance stayed up a bit later than usual. After reading him a story and making sure he was okay, Dissonance quickly nodded off to sleep.

When she went downstairs, Schizophrenika and her mother were speaking quietly in the kitchen with a pot of tea between them. Synesthesia trotted down to them and their conversation silenced with her approach. "Hello dear, he asleep now?" Her mother asked.

Synesthesia nodded and sta with her sister and mother at the table. "Where's Dad?"

Schizophrenika shook her head. "We don't know. He didn't say."

"Do you think he'll be alright?" she asked concerned.

"Oh sure, your father's strong. He'll be fine," her mother said reassuringly though her facial expression wasn't completely concealing her own worry. "You should head off to bed yourself, it's late. Don't worry, we'll stay up and wait."

Synesthesia nodded and yawned a bit. "Ok, goodnight," she said and padded up to her room.

~*~

Synesthesia was sleeping dreamlessly when a light rap on the door woke her up. She opened her eyes and looked to see her father standing in the doorway meekly. "Can I come in?" he asked.

Synesthesia nodded and let her father come in and sit on her bed. "When did you come home?" she asked with a yawn.

"Not too long after you went to bed. Your mother had told me you went upstairs and I came up here but you were asleep."

Synesthesia held her paws together and looked at them intently. "Dad, are you still mad at me?" she asked and felt his paw rest on her shoulder reassuringly. She looked up to see him shaking his head.

"No Syn, I'm not mad at you. I was only trying to protect you. You see, I grew up in the neighbourhood where Rescendo lives and I know what it's like to grow up there. I was lucky and turned out okay. I just didn't want you getting hurt over someone like that."

Synesthesia hugged her father tight. "I'm sorry Dad, I really am."

"It's ok dear, it's okay now. Hey, I hope you don't mind but I tried to make it up to you," he said and took a small serving tub of ice cream from a bag he brought in with him along with two spoons. "We never did have that treat of ours."

Synesthesia smiled and took a spoonful of the treat. "Thanks Dad."

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 9

Synesthesia was slowly getting over her bout of pneumonia and was allowed to go outside for a bit. Schizophrenia still wanted her to stay home until all her strength was back and she agreed. Her teachers at school were notified about her illness and Clairvoyance brought back her homework for her until she was well enough to go to school.

It had only been a couple of days and already, Synesthesia was feeling much better. She trotted downstairs Wednesday morning feeling perkier than the other days. She didn't realize she woke up relatively early because Her mother was downstairs with Dissonance ready to get him off to school. While sipping her coffee, she looked up to see Synesthesia smiling happy as she came down the stairs. "Good morning!"

"Wow Syn, you're up early. Feeling better today?" her mother asked.

Synesthesia nodded and grabbed a leftover piece of toast on the counter. "Mom, can I go back to school tomorrow? I am feeling better."

Her mother nodded in agreement and ushered Dissonance out of the kitchen. "Of course."

~*~

Syn spent the rest of the day in her room reading and sketching on the floor while she waited for today's homework to come back with Clairvoyance. At around lunchtime, she heard a tap on the window. She looked up at the window but saw nothing there. She turned back to her sketchbook but another tap came from the window. She looked back at it, a bit peeved to see a small stone hit the glass. Tap.

Synesthesia stood up and went over to the window. By the fence like all those years before, was Rescendo. He dropped the remaining pebbles in his paws and looked up at her expectantly. Though she was excited to see him, she looked down at him with a bored expression like he was last week's muse. She hoped the message was getting across: What do you want?

Rescendo bit his lip when he realized he wasn't going to get the warm welcome he wanted. Heck, he wasn't even getting a representative from the welcoming comittee. He seemed to realize that and slipped a note under the rock and sauntered off, looking up at her with raised eyebrows. Synesthesia kept the same blank expression but he knew her too well. Even she knew she wasn't strong enough to withstand her curiosity that much. With a sigh, Synesthesia gave up and ran downstairs to the backyard.

When she got out and lifted the rock, she saw a tattered letter written with different colours of ink but it said only one phrase:

Meet me in the park within the hour and I'll explain everything.

Synesthesia was about to crumple it up and toss it aside, leaving the past in the past when the P.S. note caught her eye:

P.S. I still love you

[G.L'S]

Rescendo and Synesthesia

and her father who'd never let them be together

Part 10

Synesthesia thought she must be out of her mind when she folded it up and ran upstairs. She kept trying to reason with herself, telling herself he was no good and him apologizing wouldn't change that, but in hte same thought, her mind reverted back to that night with her mother.

He'll come round...

Synesthesia sighed and changed out of her pyjamas. There wasn't any harm in going at least. He'd say his speal and that'd be all. Synesthesia looked at her cellphone and saw the time: 12:30. She had two and a half hours until Clairvoyance and Dissonance came home, enough time to go over and be back without anyone knowing. She ran downstairs and out the door to get over to the park

~*~

At least this time his word was right. Rescendo was there at the park like he said, sitting on the bleachers by the baseball diamond. Synesthesia slowed to a walk and stood on the diamond's home base. He looked at his paws while she crossed her arms and stood patiently. When Rescendo looked up at her, he sighed and slid off the seats. "I'm sorry."

Synesthesia copied his sigh but in a slight exasperation. "Well that's great and all but that doesn't change or answer anything Re. Why did you just run off and not say anything?"

"I thought it'd be for the best."

"How? How could ditching a friendship we had for years which later evolved into a relationship be easier than saying what happened? "

Rescendo looked back down again. "I didn't want you to hate me for what I had become."

Synesthesia blinked a bit at his statement, confused and a bit bewildered. "What do you mean?"

Rescendo sighed and sat on the white chalk of the diamond as Synesthesia lowered herself onto the cushion of homeplate. "I realized why your father didn't want us together. He thought I'd bring you down to my level. Syn love, I didn't want to drop out of highschool, I had to. My father finally left. After all those years of abuse, he left. He drained us of our money and raan off somewhere. My mom's sick and can't work. She gets a disability pension but it's not enough for us to live on. To feed my family, I became a thief and a criminal, Synesthesia. I stole food, money, did odd jobs for the gangs around here to get the funds for us to survive. That's why I was hanging around with those guys back at school. They were like me and needed to live but they chose to live the bad life. I guess that's why I started pushing you away. I didn't want to expose you to that. It's a rough and gruelling world no one should have to endure. I guess it was my weird way of protecting you from it. I love you too much to subject you to such a terrible life."

Synesthesia held his paws in hers. "Rescendo, why didn't you say anything? I could've helped somehow. We could've gotten you out of there sooner."

Rescendo shook his head. "Charity's not the way we work. Where I'm from, accepting charity from someone else is a sign of weakness. It's a big reason my father didn't respect my mother. Because she couldn't go out and work for herself but relied on him and whatever money came in, she was a burden. We children were burdens until we found ways to bring money into the household and asking for money for things was like a sacreliege. I may live only half an hour away Syn, but trust me, it's a completely different world out there."

Synesthesia nodded in understanding. "How about now? Will you go back to school?"

Rescendo shook his head again. "I can't, I have to support my family. My older brothers won't help us and my baby sister's too little to help out."

"You have siblings? You never mentioned them before."

Rescendo shrugged and rubbed her fingers with his thumbs. "Never seemed important enough to mention without exposing the truth."

"How old is your little sister?"

"Eleven."

Synesthesia nodded a bit, "Oh."

"There's not much I can do Syn, I just wanted to tell you because I still care for you. I really do. But after that, if you don't want anything to do with me, its ok I understand," he said and looked down at the dirt. Synesthesia looked at his face and could tell he was hiding a lot of emotion behind the blank visage he held.

Synesthesia leaned closer and kissed his cheek and squeezed his paw. "I still love you and nothing is going to change that, Rescendo. I don't care what happens, we'll make it through."

Rescendo looked up at her with shiny eyes. Finally, it alright again. He hugged her tight and held her for a few long moments. "I still love you too."